Take 25 Child Safety Campaign

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

BEACH PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES AND PARTNERS “TAKE 25” TO TALK TO CHILDREN ABOUT SAFETY

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC), in partnership with the Virginia Beach Police Department, the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, the Virginia Beach City Public Schools, the Virginia Beach Fire Department, Sentara-Virginia Beach General Hospital, and the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office will be observing National Missing Children’s Day this year by participating in the national Take 25 child safety campaign. Members of the participating agencies will hold student assemblies at Bettie F. Williams, Birdneck, Creeds, Fairfield, Glenwood, Ocean Lakes, Point O’View, Strawbridge, and Trantwood public elementary schools and Star of the Sea School on Friday, May 24, 2013.Child ID kits and related materials with information such as safety tips and “conversation starters” will be distributed to students.

National Missing Children’s Day has been observed on May 25 since it was first recognized in 1983. National Missing Children’s Day serves as an annual reminder that there are thousands of children who are still missing and stresses the importance of making child protection a national priority. The Take 25 campaign is a national child safety public awareness campaign created in 2007 by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The campaign encourages parents to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about safety and ways to prevent abduction. The campaign begins on May 1 and continues through May 25 every year in communities throughout the country.

Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr. has signed a proclamation recognizing Saturday, May 25, 2013 as National Missing Children’s Day in Virginia Beach.The proclamation will be presented at the opening ceremonies of the 30th annual Pungo Strawberry Festival by Councilman Bill DeSteph.

Every year in America, an estimated 800,000 children are reported missing, more than approximately 2,000 each day. Of that number, it is estimated that 200,000 are abducted by family members and approximately 58,000 are abducted by non-family members. Each year, it is estimated that 115 children are the victims of the most serious abductions; they are taken by non-family members and either murdered, ransomed or taken with the intent to keep.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization established in 1984.It is the leading nonprofit organization that deals with the issues of missing children and sexual exploitation of children.It operates the national toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST, as well as the CyberTipline which is the national system for reporting suspected sexual exploitation of children.To learn more about NCMEC or to make a donation, visit www.missingkids.com or call 1-800-THE-LOST